


In Pace

by lizzledpink



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, Marvel 616
Genre: Established Relationship, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-06-05
Updated: 2012-06-05
Packaged: 2017-11-06 22:24:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 438
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/423930
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lizzledpink/pseuds/lizzledpink
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes them a while to get there, probably because they’re both very volatile, intense people.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Pace

It takes them a while to get there, probably because they're both very volatile, intense people.

Tony should feel dwarfed. Steve's a big man, all muscles and corded limbs. Or else it should feel like a cage, with all that ridiculous power boxing him in. It doesn't.

His head is tucked under Steve's chin, and pressed against a surprisingly comfy shoulder. One of Steve's arms reaches down, splays against the bed where Tony's hand can meet Steve's and clasp to it firmly, a solid connection. The other is around Tony's waist, fingers lightly brushing the soft skin right above his hip. Their legs are jumbled together in an indiscernible pattern and Tony has long forgotten which is whose. 

It's not a hot love, anymore, not like it was, and that's good. When it was a hot love, all they ever did was burn each other, back and forth like heated knives, aimed unconsciously at the weakest points. 

Now they just simmer. Like tanning in the afternoon sun, lazy. Too tired of fighting to fight any longer. Too happy that somehow they're both here to give a damn about whatever silly things were in the way before. Media. Allies. History. Unimportant things they cared about when they were younger.

Steve shifts a little, carefully unlocking his arm from Tony's waist. He lets it rest again at the back of Tony's neck, softly brushing the short dark curls there. Tony makes a little sound, a muffled moan, but doesn't move. Doesn't need to.

It's simple skin-on-skin contact. The comfort of someone they can trust absolutely, even after everything, with their lives. Aware that they know every line on each other's bodies, down to the ones they've caused themselves. They'll stand by each other, because God help them, they don't have the strength left to do anything else.

Both are wide awake. Steve sighs softly. Tony chuckles, knowing the feeling. He doesn't intend to sleep any time soon. His mind is quietly buzzing with thoughts, just enough to keep him pleasantly bored. He thinks about circuits and ways to rewrite the interface for MRIs. Steve's mind is on friends, past and present, those bright with life and others never forgotten. 

Tony presses a kiss to Steve's collarbone, and feels the tendons move in Steve's neck as he smiles a tiny bit wider.

Somewhere along the way, they have finally learned how to rest.

It takes them a while to get there. Countless battles, numerous alien attacks, more banter than perhaps necessary, scars by the dozens, occasional sex, several wars (one on opposite sides), and also a few deaths.

But they do.


End file.
